Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
The butler led everyone into the dining room, where they took their seats at a large round table. The white tablecloth was adorned with exquisite porcelain dinnerware, and the golden chopsticks glimmered softly under the crystal chandelier. Lin Zhihong sat at the head of the table, while Shangguan Yun elegantly settled into the seat to his left. Zhang Zihao and Lu Chen took their places in turn; one wore a confident expression, while the other showed signs of worry. Zhang Zihao lifted his chin slightly, exuding self-assurance.
Lin Yue sat to her father's right, her fingertips silently tapping against her thigh. Though she appeared calm on the surface, her heart was troubled for Su Yao, fearing she might be wronged. Su Yao, sitting next to Lin Yue, felt somewhat stiff as she sensed the subtle glances directed at her. Jiang Rou occupied the space between Su Yao and Lu Chen, facing Shangguan Yun with a smile that was almost sickly sweet, her eyes fixed on Shangguan Yun's expressions.
"How strange," Jiang Rou thought to herself. "Why do my godmother and Father Lin look at Su Yao so oddly?"
The waiter silently served the appetizers, placing them in front of everyone. Shangguan Yun finally withdrew her scrutinizing gaze, raised her glass for a toast, and donned a standard smile befitting a lady of high society. Seeing Shangguan Yun lift her glass, everyone followed suit.
"This family banquet is mainly to introduce Lin Yue's... friend," Shangguan Yun said in a calm tone, deliberately emphasizing the word "friend." "I appreciate Zhang Shaoye accompanying Miss Su on this long journey."
Those words struck Lin Yue like a knife to the heart. He gripped his glass tightly, yet his gaze remained as tranquil as still water. Shangguan Yun took a small sip of her drink before setting it down.
"Let's eat and chat," she suggested as she introduced the first dish. "This is truffle foie gras terrine made with black truffles air-freighted from Italy today, paired with Belgian-imported foie gras and our own West Lake Longjing tea jelly."
Shangguan Yun's voice was soft, carrying an innate sense of nobility.
"My godmother's tea jelly is world-class," Jiang Rou chimed in immediately, lifting her spoon to taste it. "This time paired with foie gras, it adds even more depth to the flavors."
Shangguan Yun nodded in satisfaction, her gaze once again landing on Su Yao's face.
"Miss Su, please try it and let me know if it suits your taste," she urged.
Su Yao cautiously picked up her spoon and took a small bite. The melt-in-your-mouth texture combined with the rich aroma of truffles and the refreshing tea jelly was indeed a flavor she had never experienced before.
"It's delicious, Auntie. Thank you," she praised sincerely.
A flicker of disdain crossed Jiang Rou's eyes, but she maintained her perfect smile.
"Lin Yue seems to be in great spirits today," Shangguan Yun remarked with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "It must be thanks to Miss Su."
Lin Yue gently placed his hand on Su Yao's leg. "Seeing Su Yao does indeed lift my mood."
Feeling the warmth from Lin Yue's hand, Su Yao's tense body relaxed slightly.
"It’s thanks to Young Master Lu and Miss Jiang taking good care of me," Su Yao replied politely. "I haven't been here long and haven't been able to help Lin Yue much."
Shangguan Yun nodded thoughtfully, her gaze lingering briefly on Lin Yue's face.
"These two children are Lin Yue's relatives; they grew up together," she said slowly. "Especially Rou Rou; she cares for Lin Yue even more than I do as his mother."
Jiang Rou lowered her eyes in a display of humility. "Godmother, taking care of Lin Yue is what I should do."
Satisfied, Shangguan Yun raised her glass again and took a small sip.
"Rou Rou, as the future daughter-in-law of the Jiang family, you should show hospitality. Lin Yue's friends have come from afar, so why don't you take them out to explore for the next few days?"
The words fell like a heavy hammer on the dining table.
Su Yao's fingers instinctively clenched, while Lin Yue's palm gently stroked her thigh, offering silent comfort.
Jiang Rou's eyes glimmered with satisfaction as she spoke sweetly, "Sure, Godmother."
She turned to Su Yao, her eyes brimming with feigned enthusiasm. "Miss Su, if there’s anywhere you’d like to go, just let me know and I’ll make arrangements."
"Lin Yue, how did you and Miss Su meet? How did you become... good friends?"
"We met at the Charity Gala. Later, Yuexing Capital invested in Dark River, and Su Yao is the lead actress."
Lin Yue's gaze settled on Su Yao. "As we interacted more, our relationship grew closer."
This brief introduction struck Jiang Rou like a slap in the face; her expression instantly stiffened, and she nearly crushed the wine glass in her hand.
"Miss Su is indeed outstanding," Lu Chen quickly interjected to ease the tense atmosphere. "I had the privilege of observing her on set a few times; Miss Su's professionalism is truly admirable."
"Her acting has received unanimous praise within the industry. The preview clips of Dark River have garnered excellent feedback."
Jiang Rou shot Lu Chen an angry glare, but he pretended not to notice and continued, "I believe this film will become a phenomenal work this year."
"Absolutely!" Zhang Zihao chimed in immediately. "Su Yao's acting is definitely top-notch among young actors. My mother is a devoted fan; she can't bear to change the channel when she sees her performances."
Shangguan Yun raised an eyebrow, glancing back and forth between Zhang Zihao and Su Yao with a cold smile.
"Zhang Shao has high praise for Miss Su."
"Exceptional people are always easy to appreciate," Zhang Zihao said with a smile, his gaze provocatively flicking toward Lin Yue.
Jiang Rou watched the two banter back and forth, feeling increasingly irritated. She quickly changed the subject. "Speaking of which, Godmother's new season of jewelry designs has just been released, and quite a few socialites have asked me to reserve pieces for them."
Her tone was filled with pride. "At the last Milan Fashion Week, several major designers specifically requested to use Eugene's new collection."
Jiang Rou continued to talk about the socialite elite without pause.
Shangguan Yun merely listened with a smile.
"Miss Su, are you interested in jewelry?" Jiang Rou suddenly shifted gears. "What styles do you like?" She glanced at Su Yao with an ostensibly friendly tone.
This topic was clearly intended to put her on the spot; how could Su Yao possibly be familiar with such circles?
However, Su Yao remained calm and replied steadily, "I don’t usually pay much attention to jewelry, but Eugene’s designs are indeed unique and blend Eastern and Western aesthetics perfectly—especially the 'Moonlight' series. Its streamlined design showcases feminine grace while embodying the balance of yin and yang in Eastern philosophy; it’s truly impressive."
Her words left everyone present looking surprised.
Shangguan Yun's eyes sparkled with approval as she regarded Su Yao with interest. "Miss Su seems to have some understanding of my work."
"Aunt Shangguan's jewelry is simply art!" Zhang Zihao quickly interjected to defuse any tension directed at Su Yao. "My mother has collected quite a few pieces from Eugene."
He shifted his gaze and continued, "Speaking of which, I was just thinking of taking this rare opportunity to reserve a new piece for my mother."
Zhang Zihao looked at Su Yao with a smile. "There’s an ice-blue necklace that I think would suit you perfectly."
"Zhang Shao means he wants to gift Miss Su a set?" Jiang Rou immediately responded.
Zhang Zihao showed no signs of embarrassment; instead, he raised an eyebrow and smiled. "If it could earn me a smile from such a beauty, that would be my honor."
He provocatively glanced at Lin Yue. "What does Miss Lin think?"
Lin Yue slowly set down her chopsticks and pretended to smile at Zhang Zihao before turning her gaze back to Su Yao, her expression softening instantly.
"If you like it, I can gift it to you—or any style you prefer; I can get it for you," she said softly as if only she and Su Yao existed in the room.
As soon as the words were spoken, the entire table fell silent.
Su Yao's face flushed with two bright spots of red, her eyes revealing a mix of joy and shyness. Jiang Rou's expression froze, disbelief filling her gaze. Lu Chen widened his eyes slightly, surprised that Lin Yue had the audacity to openly express affection in front of their parents. Lin Zhihong remained silent, merely lowering his head to drink, lost in thought about other matters.
"Young Master Lin, if you're asking about jewelry, you've come to the wrong person," Shangguan Yun said with a forced smile to ease the tension. "Our Lin Yue is exceptional in every way, but she doesn’t understand or care for those things that girls usually like."
She glanced at Jiang Rou, her tone laden with meaning: "All her clothing and necessities are arranged by Rou Rou; Lin Yue never worries about these things."
Shangguan Yun maintained her smile, "If Miss Su has a preference for any set, I can have Rou Rou send it to you."
On the surface, this was a polite offer, but it was also a reminder to Lin Yue and a warning to Su Yao: Jiang Rou was the true daughter-in-law of the Lin family.
Su Yao quickly waved her hand, "This gift is too precious; I cannot accept it. Thank you for your kindness."
"And me! And me!" Lu Chen interjected quickly as he sensed the tension in the air. "I also care about Lin Yue’s life! Aunt Shangguan, how could you forget about me? What hasn’t I paid attention to regarding Lin Yue?"
His exaggerated tone made everyone laugh, even Lin Yue couldn't help but smile. Only Lin Zhihong remained expressionless as he scrutinized Su Yao, as if searching for something within her.
"Miss Su, may I ask what your parents do?" Shangguan Yun suddenly inquired.
Su Yao replied softly, "My mother told me that my father passed away before I was born; I've only seen him in photographs."
She paused before continuing, "My mother used to be an actress and now runs a talent agency; she is also my boss."
Lin Zhihong's hand trembled violently, causing the food he was holding with his chopsticks to fall back onto the plate. He raised his head, staring intently at Su Yao, opening his mouth but unable to utter a single word.
Shangguan Yun's expression shifted as well; her gaze towards Su Yao became complex and difficult to describe.
"What is your mother's name?" Shangguan Yun's voice came out almost through clenched teeth.
"Su Yuyan," Su Yao answered calmly.
These three words struck like thunder on a clear day. Lin Zhihong's face turned pale instantly, leaving him speechless for a long moment. Shangguan Yun's lips twitched slightly as her eyes shot daggers at Lin Zhihong.
"Mom? Dad? What's wrong with you?" Lin Yue noticed something was off and asked with concern.
Su Yao looked at the two elders in confusion, not understanding why her answer had elicited such a strong reaction. Jiang Rou observed Shangguan Yun and Lin Zhihong’s expressions and began to suspect something but dared not confirm it.
Su Yao asked with some confusion, "Uncle and Auntie know my mother?"
Shangguan Yun took a deep breath, forcing herself to remain calm. "No, we don’t know her; we just heard that name before."
Just as Shangguan Yun was about to ask further questions, Zhang Zihao suddenly stood up and raised his glass high.
"I propose a toast to this wonderful family dinner tonight! And let’s also toast in advance to the success of Dark River!"
This unexpected interruption broke Shangguan Yun’s train of thought. She shot an annoyed glance at Zhang Zihao.
"Yes! To Dark River!" Lu Chen quickly chimed in, sensing the subtle shift in atmosphere and wanting to ease the awkwardness.
The sound of clinking glasses echoed through the restaurant as everyone raised their cups in a toast. Lin Zhihong sipped his drink, his gaze distant, as if lost in a faraway memory.
"Miss Su, do you know who your father is?" Shangguan Yun asked persistently.
The question was aggressive, and the atmosphere at the table grew tense once more. Lin Yue frowned at her mother, confused by her sudden intensity.
"Mom..." Lin Yue couldn't help but speak up, but was silenced by a sharp glance from Shangguan Yun.
Su Yao gently patted Lin Yue's hand, signaling her not to worry. "I don't know; my mother never wanted to bring it up."
At these words, Lin Zhihong nearly dropped his glass. Lin Yue looked at her parents in confusion. Did they know Su Yao? What secret lay between them?
Lin Zhihong and Shangguan Yun exchanged a glance, seemingly communicating silently. Jiang Rou's eyes darted between the two and suddenly she realized something, her expression shifting dramatically. Could it be…? She dared not think further, but the fear in her eyes betrayed her thoughts.
"Uncle and Auntie," Lu Chen broke the silence, "why don't we eat first? The dishes are getting cold."
Shangguan Yun forced a smile. "Alright, let's eat."
Yet the atmosphere at the table had turned unusually heavy; each person was lost in their own thoughts, unable to enjoy their meal. Lin Yue grasped Su Yao's hand tightly. Though she didn’t understand what was happening, she vowed to protect Su Yao from anyone who might wish her harm, even if that meant standing against her own parents.
The family gathering ended in an eerie atmosphere. The final dessert, a chocolate lava cake, went largely untouched.
Su Yao set down her napkin and softly said, "Thank you for your hospitality, Uncle and Auntie. It's getting late; I won't impose any longer."
"I'll see you off," Lin Yue said as she turned to Su Yao.
"Lin Yue, wait a moment. Your mother has something important to discuss with you; let the driver take Miss Su back to the hotel," Shangguan Yun insisted firmly.
Seeing this, Zhang Zihao stepped forward. "I’m staying at the same hotel as Su Yao; why don’t I take her back?"
Lin Yue ignored Zhang Zihao’s offer. She frowned and said, "Mom, can we talk after I drop Su Yao off?"
Comment 0 Comment Count